The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-06-17

man named Truckee Dan. Whether
either of them had ever received any
assurance of favor from the object of
their desire was never known, the girl,
SO far as seen, showing to both alike
only the natural pleasure of all women
at being admired. Each, however, inn
agined himself to be the favored one
until on certain Sunday afternoon.
the Irishman put the question and was
rejected.
Of course his own failure was inter-
preted by him as an evidence of
Frenchy's success, against whom he
now began to utter threats. The lat
ter, who was not naturally quarrel
some, had never been thought violent,
but man from Phoebe, who had lately
passed through the canyon, reported
him to have once killed gambler in
that place, and that he was not to be
fooled with.
When the new gold discovery was
first talked of, Frenchy had gone to
Salt Lake to try and effect sale of
certain mining prospects taken up by
him in the neighboring Moore's Fork.
The uncovering of large body of ore
in this, hitherto supposed worthless
region had, two years before, caused
considerable excitement, and nearly
every body in the canyon had a claim
staked out there which they hoped
would one day prove an extension of
the big vein.
Next to Frenchy's most promising
claim was one recorded, on the same
date as his own, in the name of an old
partner of his now working in Vir-
ginia City and named the Modoc. AS
all miners know, in region showing
evidence of mineral wealth, the ground
is covered with stakes or small piles of
stones marking claims taken up by
different prospectors. These, often
trespassing upon one another, so long
as nothing valuable is found, are little
thought of, but let any of them develop
into paying property and straightway
its owner is obliged to defend it
against host of others. 1t is also
we'll known that mining property
taken up on the public domain, if it
remained unworked beyond q certain
time, reverts back, unless patented,
and may be recorded anew by other
parties This action, known as Jump
ing" gives rise to half the quarrels
among the miners, for the prospectors,
as soon as one of their number leaves
the country, are little disposed to
recognize whatever right he may
leave behind.
Frenchy and his partner had thus
taken up separate claims, to prevent
others from disputing the ground, in
both of which they had an equal share.
The latter, now absent some year and
half, had agreed upon his departure,
that Frenchy, upon whom would depend
the holding of the claims, should be
thrce-fourths, instead of one-halt
owner, and that whatever disposition
he might make of the property should
be acquiesced in by himself.
One day, about a week after the I'M
successful ending of the Irishman's
love suit, Frenchy, upon going up the
Fork with Salt Lake expert, was sur
prised to find couple of men sinking
a shaft upon the Modoc, one of whom
was Truckee Dan. Certain the Irish
mans action had been taken only for
the purpose of forcing quarrel upon
him, and unprepared to assert his
rights, he passed on with his companion
to the claim recorded in his own name,
which they proceeded to examine. The
presence of Others, however, claimin Q
ownership so short distance away
ruined all chance of negotiation, as the
strangers first question had been
whether the immediate vicinity was
| claimed by any one else. All Frenchy
could do was to repeat what he had
already told him-that both prospects
were alike under his legal control, and
to assure him of his own good faith in
the matter. After brief survey of the
ground the two returned to the mouth
of the Fork, the stranger going to the
stage office and the other to the place
where the mining records were kept
| Finding no change in the Modoc's
ownership, and having, with his own
hands, the month before done the las
sufficient amount of work to, as he
supposed, prevent it from being ''re.
located" he bided his time until
Truckee Dan should appear in the
evening, as was his wont, at the Head
quarters saloon.
AS the lamps were lighting in the
little balloon houses ranged on eacl
side of the narrow street composing
the town, Frenchy strobe into the
large smoke-begrimed bar-room of the
headquarters, and passed through thu
crowd of by-standers to the end of the
apartment devoted to play, where h,
! knew Truckee Dan was certain to bC
found. The four men at one of thu
tables, among whom was the person
sought, were arranging their just deal
cards as ne came up and exclaimed:
''Dan, what right have you to b,
sinking shaft on the Modoc CLAMP"
by jumpers right" replied thu
Irishman, rising; "hasn't Matty beer
after losing it altogether the six
months?"
NO" said Frenchy, ''it's his nov
as much as it ever was, and | wan
you to hereafter let it alone"
"And | warn We to lave me alone, >
said the other, stepping backward q
few PAGES and staggering perceptibly
"me and me pard own it now"
Dan, you lie, and you know it, y
called out the Italian, loud enough tC
be heard through the whole room
| i Z/NNN y